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There was this voice in the back of my head screaming "You screwed up, Jack!" but I didn't pay it much attention. If he died, he died. The guy shot first. Every cop in the tristate area would back me up!

I rushed over to the poor bastard, who was squirming and wiggling on the ground like some kind of worm. I had probably hit his spine or something. Honestly... it was actually kind of funny! That is, if it weren't for the fact that he kept screaming a single word.


"VIPER!" He screamed. "VIPER! VIPER!'

I bent down to check on him. He couldn't have been any older than 20, but he had a tattoo on his forehead that was just... off. A huge viper head staring back at me, moving with the kid's own squirms. Then the guy started laughing.

"The hell's wrong with you?! You okay? Hey, Kid!" I didn't dare touch him in case I made it worse.

"Why'd you go and shoot me for?!" I grumbled, hearing Dex coming up from behind. The only answer I got from the kid, besides "VIPER!" was a piece of paper that fell from his pocket.

I heard Dex utter "Jesus Christ, Jack" before he radioed in for paramedics as I picked up the paper just as blood started to paint the edges. At first I noticed that it wasn't folded, and was almost in pristine condition! Then I saw the writing on it. Typed, in bold font, was a riddle or a poem or... something. And a handscrawled signature.

Terrible Beast

Though I am

I Travel by various means

Land

Sea

Aair

I ruin the lands I visit

What am I?

-Sincerely yours

A. F. Reinde